SACRAMENTO, Calif --- In response to ongoing community concerns regarding water quality within the Sativa Los Angeles County Water District (Sativa), Assemblymember Mike A. Gipson (D-Carson) has introduced legislation to appoint a state administrator to oversee the district.
“Residents served by Sativa are dealing with a water crisis,” said Asm. Gipson. “Sativa customers are experiencing brown water coming from their kitchen faucets and bath tubs which is completely unacceptable. Not only this, but we have found that Sativa does not have the resources to maintain its infrastructure, meaning that this system is doomed to fail without outside intervention. In moving Assembly Bill 1577, I am doing everything in my power to ensure that our community has the clean, safe, and affordable drinking water that it deserves.”
Gipson has introduced AB 1577, which would hold Sativa accountable by empowering the State Water Resources Control Board (Water Board) to assume responsibility of Sativa. More specifically, this bill would require Sativa to accept full management and control from an administrator appointed by the Water Board to address its water quality problems and work towards a long term solution that includes consolidation.
Earlier this year Asm., Gipson introduced AB 2339, which would improve water infrastructure in California by allowing cities to sell their small municipal water systems if it is not in their best interest to own or operate them. Asm. Gipson has also worked to secure funding on behalf of Sativa for infrastructure improvements.
“We want to be as helpful to Sativa as possible, but we can no longer wait to address this water crisis. I intend to continue to be aggressive on this issue and will not stop until this is resolved. Clean water is a basic necessity that all people are entitled to and I will not be silent while people in my district suffer.”
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